ENGLISH LANGUAGE I MODULE 6: REPORTED SPEECH

ENGLISH LANGUAGE I MODULE 6: REPORTED SPEECH

Explanations With tense Summary of tense changes changes Tenses move back in time after a past tense reporting verb. 'I agree.' Peter said he agreed. I'm leaving.' Jane said she was leaving. But the past perfect remains the same. 'No, I hadn't forgotten.' Greg said that he hadn't forgotten. For Modals (can, may, must, should) see Grammar 16. Main verb changes In complex sentences, only the first verb is changed. 'I was walking home when I saw the accident.' James said he had been walking home when he saw the accident. Reference words Some words referring to people, places and time change in indirect speech, because the point of reference changes. 'I'll see you here tomorrow, Jack,' said Mary. Mary told Jack she would see him there the next day. 'I gave you this yesterday.' John said he had given it to her the day before. Other words of this kind appear in the Practice section. Without tense Present tense reports changes If the reporting verb is in the present tense, there is no change. Brenda says she's arriving at about 6.00. Past tense reports If the reported words are 'always true', there is no change. Harry told me that he still likes you. If a message is being repeated immediately, there is no change. Mary said she's too busy to come. Questions Reporting questions Yes/No questions are reported using if. The verb does not have a question form, but has the form of a normal statement. There is no question mark. 'Do you like hamburgers? Charles asked me if I liked hamburgers. Wh- questions are reported with the question word. The verb has the form of a normal statement. There is no question mark. 'Where are we going?' I asked Sue where we were going. 30

GRAMMAR 6 INDIRECT SPEECH Reporting polite questions We can use a phrase like Could you tell me or Do you know to ask for information in a polite way. Note the word order. 'Where is the station?' 'Could you tell me where the station is?' When we report this kind of question we use ask and the usual tense change rules. I asked him where the station was. Commands and Commands are reported with tell and the infinitive. requests 'Go away!' He told me to go away. - Requests are reported with ask and the infinitive. 'Please help me.' He asked her to help him. Reporting verbs Say or tell? We say something and we tell somebody. I said I could meet you this evening, but I'm really busy. I told you I could meet you this evening, but I'm really busy. We can use to after say, but we never use to between tell and the object. / said to him that I'd meet him this evening. Other reporting verbs Exercises 8 and 9 in the Practice section use some other common reporting verbs. The meaning and grammar of each verb can be found in a good dictionary and should be learned. For example: She suggested going to the beach. (suggest + -ing form) She offered to give me a lift. {offer + infinitive) She reminded me to call my mother. (remind + object + infinitive) Paraphrase It is often impossible or unnecessary to report every word spoken. 'Excuse me, do you think you could tell me the time?' He asked me what the time was. 31

FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE 1 Underline the most suitable verb form in each sentence. a) Helen asked me if I liked visiting old buildings. Do you like/did you like visiting old buildings?' asked Helen. b) Bill asked Mary if she had done anything the previous weekend. 'Have you done /Did you do anything last weekend?' c) The policeman asked me if the car belonged to me. 'Does/Did this car belong to you?' asked the policeman. d) Fiona asked me if I had seen her umbrella anywhere. 'Did you see/have you seen my umbrella anywhere?' asked Fiona. e) Joe asked Tina when she would get back. 'When will you get/have you got back?' asked Joe. f) Eddie asked Steve who he had been to the cinema with. 'Who did you go/had you been to the cinema with?' asked Eddie. g) My parents asked me what time I had got home the night before. 'What time did you get/have you got home last night?' my parents asked. h) David asked a passer-by if it was the right road for Hastings. 'Is/Was this the right road for Hastings?' asked David. 2 Rewrite each sentence as direct speech. a) Graham told Ian he would see him the following day...i'll see you tomorrow, Ian,' said Graham. b) Pauline told the children their swimming things were not there. c) David told me my letter had arrived the day before. d) Shirley told Larry she would see him that evening. e) Bill told Stephen he hadn't been at home that morning. f) Margaret told John to phone her on the following day. g) Tim told Ron he was leaving that afternoon. h) Christine told Michael she had lost her lighter the night before.

GRAMMAR 6 INDIRECT SPEECH 3 Rewrite each sentence as indirect speech, beginning as shown. a) 'You can't park here.' The police officer told Jack...tkfti..h&.fAliXdxC.t.pAT.k,.th&C^ b) 'I'll see you in the morning, Helen.' Peter told Helen c) 'I'm taking the 5.30 train tomorrow evening.' Janet said d) 'The trousers have to be ready this afternoon.' Paul told the dry-cleaners e) 'I left my umbrella here two days ago.' Susan told them f) 'The parcel ought to be here by the end of next week.' Brian said g) 'I like this hotel very much.' Diana told me h) 'I think it's going to rain tonight.' William said 4 Rewrite each question in indirect speech, beginning as shown. a) 'What time does the film start, Peter?' I asked Peter what time the film started. b) 'Do you watch television every evening, Chris?' The interviewer asked c) 'Why did you apply for this job?' asked the sales manager. The sales manager asked me d) 'Are you taking much money with you to France?' My bank manager wanted to know e) 'When will I know the results of the examination?' Maria asked the examiner f) 'Are you enjoying your flight?' The flight attendant asked me g) 'How does the photocopier work?' I asked the salesman h) 'Have you ever been to Japan, Paul?' Sue asked Paul 33

FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE 5 Complete the sentences. Use the number of words given in brackets. a) 'Do you think you could possibly tell me what the time is?' David asked me... 0..telL.kittl.. h :. im& (five words b) 'Excuse me, but I wonder if you'd mind opening the window.' The man sitting next to me asked me (four words) c) 'You go down this street, turn left, then take the second turning on the right The cinema is just down the street on the left.' A passer-by told me how (five words d) 'I want to know how much this bike costs. Can you tell me?' John asked how (four words e) 'Look, don't worry, I'll help you if you like.' Sue said she (three words f) 'All right, I tell you what, the car's yours for 500.' The salesman said I could (five words g) T hope you don't mind my saying this, but you're being a bit silly aren't you?' Peter told me I (five words h) 'It doesn't look as if I'll be arriving until after eight, I'm afraid.' Jane said she probably (five words 6 Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown. Do not change the meaning. a) What time does the next boat leave? Do you think you could tell me what time the next boat leaves b) Where can I change some money? Can you tell me c) Where is the toilet? Could you possibly tell me d) How much does this pullover cost? I'd like to know e) How do I get to Victoria Station? Can you explain f) Does this train go to Gatwick Airport? Could you tell me g) Where do you come from? Would you mind telling me h) What do you think of London? Do you think you could tell me

GRAMMAR 6 INDIRECT SPEECH 7 Put the correct form of either say, tell or ask in each space. a) I told you that you had to be on time. Why are you late? b) When you her if she'd work late, what did she? c) I think that Alan us a lie abut his qualifications. d) When I him what he was doing there, he me it was none of my business. e) I I would help you, so here I am. f) Did you hear what Sheila about her new job? g) What did Carol you about her holiday? h) There, you see! I you the bus would be on time. 8 Put the correct form of one of the verbs in the box into each space. a) 'No, it's not true, I didn't steal the money!' Jean denied stealing the money/that she had stolen the money. b) 'Why don't we go to the cinema this evening?' Peter going to the cinema/that they went to the cinema. c) 'I've broken your pen. I'm awfully sorry, Jack.' David for breaking Jack's pen. d) 'Don't forget to post my letter, will you, Sue?' Diana Sue to post her letter. e) 'Let me carry your suitcase, John.' Harry to carry John's suitcase. f) 'All right, it's true, I was nervous.' The leading actor to being nervous/that he had been nervous. g) 'I don't think Liverpool will win.' Vanessa whether Liverpool would win. h) 'If I were you, Bill, I'd buy a mountain bike.' Stephen Bill to buy a mountain bike. i) 'You murdered Lord Digby, didn't you, Colin!' The inspector Colin of murdering Lord Digby. j) 'It was me who stole the money,' said Jim. Jim to stealing the money. k) 'Right. I'll take the brown pair.' Andrew to take the brown pair.

FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE 9 Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown. Do not change the meaning. a) 'Sue, can you remember to buy some bread?' Paul reminded.sue to buy some bread. b) 'I don't really think it'll snow tomorrow.' I doubt c) 'I'm sorry I didn't phone you earlier.' Jill apologised d) 'Yes, all right, I'll share the bill with you, Dave.' Brenda agreed e) 'No, I'm sorry, I won't work on Saturday. Definitely not!' Catherine refused f) 'Let's go out to the cafe for lunch, shall we?' Wendy suggested g) 'It's not true! I have never been arrested.' Larry denied h) 'If you like, I'll help you do the decorating, Bob.' Ann offered i) 'I'll definitely take you to the park on Sunday, children.' Tom promised the j) 'I really think you should see a doctor, Chris.' William advised

GRAMMAR 6 INDIRECT SPEECH 10 Look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. Tick each correct line. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word in the space. Satellite television When my parents decided that to get a new satellite television, I asked them why they thought this was a good idea. I doubted it whether it was really necessary, and told to them that I had thought they spent too much time watching television. They agreed they didn't go out very much, but were insisted that they had had thought about the matter very carefully. 'We enjoy television,' they said me, 'and when we asked you, you said that you agreed with us.' I replied them that I didn't remember being asked, and that I would have tried to stop them. Then they were admitted that they had asked me while I was watching my favourite programme. I asked them what was I had been watching, and they said it was a football match. 'You told us that to keep quiet, so we thought that you agreed!' points 1 Tense changes are usually necessary after a past tense reporting verb. 2 Words referring to time and place also change in indirect speech. 3 Indirect questions are of two types. Yes/No questions are reported with if and Wh- questions are reported with the question word. The verb is not put into a question form in an indirect question. 4 Indirect speech is often introduced by a reporting verb. These verbs are followed by a variety of grammatical constructions. A good dictionary will include this information. 5 Indirect speech may also involve paraphrasing the main points of what was said. 37

Problems Explanations This unit assumes that the basic rules for forming reported speech are already known. The most important rule is to use verb forms that are natural in the situation. 'I'm happy to help you' she said. She told me she is happy to help us. In the above example, the verb has not been put one stage back in the past. In the following example, the same is true. 7 wanted to go to the cinema, but John wasn't so keen,' said Sue. Sue said that she wanted to go to the cinema, but John wasn't so keen. Reported speech with modal auxiliaries If the reporting verb is in a past verb form, modals change where there is a ' 'past' equivalent. Will - would can - could may - might Could, would, and might do not change. / might be late. She said (that) she might be late. Should changes to would if it is used as a first person form of would. I should love to come. She said (that) she would love to come. Otherwise should remains unchanged. You should rest. They said (that) I should rest. Must can be reported as either had to or remain as must. Reported speech with conditional sentences After a past tense reporting verb, real situations include verb form changes. If we leave now, we'll catch the train. I told him that if we left then we'd catch the train. In reported hypothetical situations, verb form changes are not made if the event has reference to a possible future. If you came back tomorrow, I'd be able to help you. She said that if I came back the next day, she'd be able to help me. If the event is clearly hypothetical and impossible, time changes are made. If I had a spanner, I could fix it. He said that if he had had a spanner he could have fixed it. Hypothetical past conditional sentences do not change. Don't think Statements reported with verbs of thinking such as think, expect, suppose can transfer the negative from the statement to the verb. / suppose she won't come. (This means I don't suppose she'll come.) 97

ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE Reporting verbs There are numerous reporting verbs, which report the words of others, or our own words and thoughts. Only a selection is given here. Other examples are included in the activities. Only the most useful categories are given here. It is advisable to use a dictionary to check on how reporting verbs are used. See Grammar 19, 21 and 22 for prepositions or -ing forms following verbs. Verbs followed by that + clause (with * can be followed by a person) add admit agree announce argue believe claim complain confirm consider decide deny doubt estimate expect* explain feel hope imply insist mean mention object persuade predict promise* reassure * reckon remark repeat reply report* say state suggest suppose tell* think threaten warn* Verbs followed by person + to advise forbid invite persuade remind warn tell ask instruct order Verbs followed by subjunctive or should Most of these verbs can also be used in the other ways given. As these verbs contain the sense that someone 'should do' something, should can follow them. They suggested that she should apply again. More formally, the subjunctive can be used instead of should. This is formed from the base of the verb (without third person V). They suggested that she apply again. Some other verbs of this type are: advise (also: someone to do/against something) agree (also: to do something, that + clause) demand (also: to do something) insist (also: on someone doing something) prefer (also: someone to do something) propose (also: doing something) recommend (also: doing something) request (also: someone to do something) suggest (also: that + clause) urge (also: someone to do something) 98

GRAMMAR 16 REPORTED SPEECH Verbs which can be followed by that + clause containing would All these verbs report statements containing will. These verbs can also be followed by 'to do something'. /'// leave at 8.00. She decided to leave at 8.00. She decided (that) she would leave at 8.00. Others are: expect, hope, promise, threaten. Functions Many verbs describe a function, rather than report words. Look, if I were you I'd leave early. She advised me to leave early. Examples are: admit complain request suggest advise invite remind warn agree persuade threaten Some verbs describe actions. Hi, Dave, how are you? He greeted me. Examples are: accept, congratulate, decide, greet, interrupt, introduce Changes of viewpoint Changes of time, place and person reference are assumed known at this level. In reported speech, there is no longer a clear reference which can be understood by two people in the same place. / left the parcel on this chair. In reported speech one would have to specify which chair: He said he had left the parcel on the chair by the window. Or the reference may be replaced by a more general one: / love this town. She said that she loved the town. 99

ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence. a) The government spokesperson denied/refused that there was a crisis. b) Jane said me/told me there was nothing the matter. c) Peter persuaded me/insisted me to stay to dinner. d) The director of studies advised me/suggested me to spend more time in the library. e) Sheila explained me/warned me not to leave the heater on all night. f) The chairperson mentioned us/reminded us that time was extremely short. g) Bill answered them/replied them with a detailed description of his plans. h) Michael and Sarah announced/reported that they were going to get married, i) Paul accepted/expected that he had made a mistake, and apologised, j) The manager confirmed/reassured that our room had been reserved. 2 Rewrite each sentence in reported speech, using the verbs given in the appropriate verb form. Some may be negative. a) 'I think I'll take the brown pair/ said the customer. b) 'Me? No, I didn't take Sue's calculator.' said Bob. c) 'Don't forget to buy some milk, Andy,' said Clare. d) 'I'm sorry I couldn't come on Saturday,' said David. e) 'Why don't you go back to Singapore, Brian?' I said. f) 'Make sure you don't take the A20, Tim,' said Jack. (decide) (decide) + (will) (say) + (will) (deny) (deny) (remind) (say) + (should) (remind) + (need) (say) + (could) (say) + (be able to) (apologise for) (ask) + (do) (suggest) + (should) (suggest) (say) + (should) (warn) (warn) 100

GRAMMAR 16 REPORTED SPEECH 3 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. a) 'Helen, would you like to come to lunch on Sunday?' asked Mary. if Mary. to come to lunch on Sunday. b) 'You are not allowed to smoke in your room, Dick/ said his mother. forbade Dick's mother in his room. c) Sue thought it would be a good idea for me to see a doctor. advised Sue see a doctor. d) The minister proposed regular meetings for the committee. suggested The minister should meet regularly. e) Jack demanded urgent action from the police. do Jack demanded something urgently. f) My bank manager invited me to visit him at home. could My bank manager visit him at home. g) 'No, I really don't want to stay the night, Sophia,' Ann said. staying Ann insisted the night at Sophia's house. h) 'I'll call off the football match if you don't behave,' the teacher said. threatened The teacher the children's behaviour improved. i) 'Ok mum, I'll do my homework, I promise,' said Laura. that Laura do her homework. j) 'Congratulations on getting engaged, Sue,' said Harry. congratulated Harry engagement. 101

ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE 4 Underline the most suitable word to complete each sentence. a) I thought Jim would say something about his new job. But he didn't mention/state/declare it. b) Sorry, I wasn't being insulting. I simply offered/reassured/remarked that you seem to have put on rather a lot of weight recently. c) The police requested/estimated/advised that the crowd was under 50,000, although the organisers of the march put it at nearer 100,000. d) The children complained/threatened/persuaded that their parents were always checking up on them. e) It has been objected/hoped/predicted that by the year 2050 some capital cities will be almost uninhabitable because of the effects of air pollution. f) During the months before Smith's transfer from City, it had been rumoured/doubted/threatened that he and the manager had come to blows in the dressing-room, though this was denied by the club. g) Brown forbade/recommended/claimed that the arresting officers had treated him roughly, and that one of them had punched him in the eye. h) An army spokesman stressed that all troops patrolling the streets had been denied/ordered/announced to issue clear warnings before firing any shots. i) Although he didn't say so directly, the Prime Minister told/ordered/suggested that an agreement between the two sides was within reach. j) The witness suggested/insisted/gave her name and address to the court before the cross-examination began. 5 Complete the text with one word in each space. The case of the break-in at a Cambridge home entered its third day today. The accused's defence was based on the fact that he (1)...could. not have entered the house at 6.30. He claimed (2) have been playing football at the time, and stated that several witnesses could confirm this. At this point, the prosecution (3) him of changing his story, as he had previously stated that he had been at home at the (4) of the break-in. The defendant agreed that his memory (5) not in the best of shape, as he had been (6) from bouts of depression. The judge stepped in, reminding the defendant that he (7) taken an oath to tell the truth, and warning (8) of the severe consequences of lying in court. The defendant said that he had simply forgotten (9) the football match, and insisted (10) he was not changing his story. 102

GRAMMAR 16 REPORTED SPEECH O Using the information in the e-mail as a guide, complete each space in the letter with a verb. The first letters of the verbs have been given. TO: Roberts.hifi.co.uk FROM: Dave@electricalsupplies.com We are sorry that our computer ordering system went on the blink last week. Don't worry, the system is now up and running again, but we think goods will arrive 2 or 3 days late. I'd guess the goods you've just ordered should arrive round about Thursday. Thanks a lot for telling us about the problem with the ZP200. You'll be pleased to know the problem's been put right now. Re the exhibition you're organising, it seems you want to return any goods you don't sell. We're certainly interested, yes, but could I ask for more details before I let you know. Finally, just to tell you, as of 1st May our warehouse is now open 24 hours a day! Dear Mrs Henderson, We would like to (1) a ordering system last week. Please (2) b reassured that the system is now fully functional again. It is (3) a that the goods ordered will be delayed by two or three working days. The (4) e arrival time for your latest order is Thursday. We are grateful to you for (5) r model. We are happy to (6) a remedied. You (7) m the defect in the ZP200 that the defect has now been the possibility of taking goods from us 'on sale or return' at an exhibition you are organising. We can certainly (8) c our interest, but we would like to (9) r further information before we commit ourselves to a decision. for the failure of our computer Please be (10) a 24 hours a day. that as of 1 May our warehouse is now open Yours sincerely, David Smith 103